Bleacher



uy 23, i935. W. D. WILLI-:RIG

BLEACHER Filed Feb. 23, 1955 Fig. l.,

Fig. 2.

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n m m T. A .s .m m W Y B Patented `Iuly 23, 1935 UNrrEo STATES PATENT. jor-*Fics }A Y j V2,009,037 f Y.

BLEACHER william D. Wiuerig, willinsburg, Pa. i Applicationliebruary 23, 1933, Serial No. 657,995

ances, but are arranged to be dismantled for convenient storage or transportation.

One object of my invention is to provide a bleacher of the type described, which is simple and cheap to construct, rugged and strong enough to support the desired load without liability of collapse, and which can be erected andv dismantled easilyY and quickly.

Other. objects and features of my invention will be apparent from the following description.

I will describe one form of bleacher embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.Y

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a perl spective view showing one form of bleacher em-` bodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the bleacher shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing one manner of connecting the seat elements of the bleacher shown in Figs.V l and 2 and also embodying my invention.' Fig. 4 is a detail View showing a modified form of tie member for clamping the seat boards in the bleacher embodyingrny invention. Figs. 5 and 6 are 'detail Views showing on an'enlarged scale the supports GI and G2, respectively, forming part of a bleacher embodying my invention.

.Similar reference vcharactersv refer to similar parts in all of the views. v

Referring first to rFigs. 1 and 2,'the bleacher comprises a plurality of supporting frames A of which three are shown in Fig. l. Y Each frame A comprises a base bari resting upon the ground or platform upon which the bleacher is erected, and

an inclined Stringer 2. The base bar and Stringer Yare preferably made of structural angles and are secured together by rivets or any other suitable means. Each frame also comprises a plurality of struts 3 which may also be structural anglesjand which mayv be riveted `or welded or otherwise connected to the base bar and Stringer, as shown,

to give rigidity and strength tothe frame.

A sufficient number of the'frames A are assembled in parallel relation, their pointed ends being secured in fixed relation by rods B connecting each two` adjacent frames.v In the preferable construction, each frame comprisesa plate C attached tc the base bar and stringerat their meetingvends, and the rods B maybe attached .to these plates C.

Additional bracing between frames is provided by cross trusses D which have their opposite ends attachedrto the struts 3 of adjacent frames. I prefer to arrange these cross braces, as shown in the drawing, to extend from` one end of a strut 3 of one frame to the opposite end of the corresponding strut of the adjacent frame. Thus, as

shown in Fig. l, one cross truss D has one end attached near the top ofthe front strut 3 of the left-hand framev A, and has vits otherend attached near the bottom of the front Vstrut 3 of the adjacent frame. This construction is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, wherev the cross trusses D are shown in end elevation. y The stringers 2' of theframesA support the seat elements, by which term I designate both the seat boards E and the foot boards F. These seat elements are held by a plurality of `alternate supports GI and G2v attached to the stringers and extending in spaced parallel'relation and. in substantially vertical position above and belowfthe stringers. As `shown in the' drawing, each seat board E is held above thestringer by the upper. ends of a pair of supports Gi and G2, andthe foot boards F are held belowthe stringers by the lower ends of a similar pair of supports'.v i Each of the supports Gl and G2 is preferably :of angle A cross section, and is attached tothe side of the Stringer by some suitable means suchasa rivet 5. The detailed construction of a preferred form of the supports Gl andv GZ is shown inFigs' 5 and. lThe upper ends of each alternate pairof supports are provided with a tie member Vwhichas here shown is a bolt H passing throughthe webs of the supports and serving the dualpurposeof supporting the seat.' element andclamping .the seat element between -theadjacent supports. As best shown in Fig. '1;- the flange of each support Gl is cut away at its top as indicated at 6, andv the flange of each support G2 is cut away at its bottom as indicated at l, to permit the seat elements to'beinserted betweenadjacent supports, and to afford a good clamping surface between' the seat elements vand the e'ngagingriends of the supports; Y

j-I also prefer'to provide each frame Awith a' brace K fastenedat one tend Kl t`o the stringer, and at the' other end K2 tothe plate C, .This brace is fastened at points K3 to the 'depending ends of supports GI. f f' i In erecting the complete bleacher, a suitable number of the frames Aare assembled in the proper spaced positions, andthe rods B and cross trusses D are connectedasv shownf'fIhe seat boards E' and foot boards F arek then placed in position, it being notedthatthese seat elements rest upon, Vand are'supported'by, thetie bolts H. The nuts'arethendrawn up ion the tie bolts to clamp the seat "elements .in position, and fthe entire bleacher istheeby held in a rigid unit. It shouldbe noted that the supports G! have their lower ends rigidly secured inposition by the brace K, so that when the tie bolts I-I'are drawn up to clamp the foot board F, the support GI can not 4move about the rivetv 5` which'attaches theisupport to the Stringer, but the supports G2 are moved to positions to rigidly clamp theboards. When the tie bolts are drawn up to clamp the seat boards E, the supports Gl flex sufnciently to clamp the edges of the boards.

The abutting ends of adjacent Seat boards E may be fastened together as shown in Fig. 3, by a plate L attached to the under sides of the confronting Seat boards by bolts M, and a Similar construction may be used for the foot boards.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4, the tie bolt H of Figs. 1 and 2 is replaced by a tie bolt Hl having a Slot H2 adapted to receive a wedgeI-IS which mayfbe used to clamp the seat elements between adjacent supports.

One important advantage of the bleacher embodying my invention is that the frames and braces are all made of commercial structural material, and the bleacher may therefore be constructed cheaply and without special tools or machinery.

Another valuable feature of my invention is that when the bleacher is dismantledthe frames may be stored as units and'their construction is Such that they may be stacked compactly and require a minimum of storage space.

Another feature is that the seat elements need not be inserted or withdrawn from the end of the bleacher', but may be placed directly in place.

This is an important advantage where the bleacher is to be installed in locations where there is limited space on the ends of the bleacher, as sometimes happens when the bleacher is erected indoors.

Still other features are that the Seat elements are rigidly clamped at each frame. This reduces the liability to injury to persons occupying the bleacher due to accidental dislodgment. of the Seat elements. Furthermore, this construction prevents the seat elements being displaced in the event the boards crack, split, break or warp. Since the seat elements are clamped at every frame, also, the resulting structure is strong, rigid and unyielding. f

Although I have herein Shown and described only one form of bleacher embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modications may be made therein within the Scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a bleacher, a frame comprising a Stringer, a pair of supports attached to said Stringer and having portions projecting therefrom in spaced relation, a seat element extending transversely across said Stringer betweensaid portions, and a tie member connecting said portions and serving to support said seat element and to ilex Such portions together to clamp the edges of said seat element.

2. In a bleacher, a frame comprising a Stringer, a rst support attached to the Stringer and extending upwardly therefrom, a second support attached vto said Stringer andY extending downwardly therefrom, a third support attached to said Stringer between saidfirst and second Supports and having a portion extending Vabove the Stringer and a portion depending below the Stringer, a seat member disposed between Said rst and third Supports above said Stringer, a. tie member connecting the upper ends of said rst and third supports and Serving to Support said seat member and to flex such rst andthird supports together to clamp the edge of said seat member, a foot board disposed between said second and third Supports below said Stringer, and another tie member connecting the lower ends of Said Second and third supports and serving to support Said foot board and to flex Such second and third supports together to clamp the edge of said foot board.

3. In a bleacher, a frame comprising a plurality of Substantially parallel stringers, means for rigidly holding Said stringers in position, a pair of spaced supports attached to each Stringer and each having a free end extending outwardly therefrom, a seat element extending across said stringers between said pairs of supports, and a tie member connecting the free ends of each pair of Supports and Serving to Support said seat member and to flex the ends of the associated supports together to clamp the edges of said seat element between the supports of each pair.

4. In a. bleacher, a frame comprising a Stringer, a pair of Supports attached to said Stringer and having portions projecting therefrom in spaced relation, a b-race rigidly connected to the free end of one Said support and to said Stringer, a

seat'elernent between-said supports, and a tie member connecting the projecting portions of Said Supports and serving to clamp said seat element between such projecting portions of the supports.

5. In a bleacher, a frame comprising a Stringer, a series of supports attached to Said Stringer and extending outwardly therefrom, a brace having its ends rigidly connected with said frame and having a main portion extending substantially parallel with said Stringer and rigidly connected with a free end of each alternate support, a series of seat elements extending across Said Stringer, and means for clamping the edges of each Seat member between the projecting ends of an adjacent pair of said supports.

6. A bleacher comprising an inclined Stringer, a series of substantially vertical supports each attached to the Stringer at an intermediate point on the Support, seat elements located between adjacent supports and disposed alternately above and below said Stringer, and a tie member for each seat element Serving to Support the seat element and also to flex the ends of the associated Supportsto grip the edges of the seat elements.

7 In a bleacher, a Series of parallel frames each having an inclined Stringer, substantially vertical Supports on each Stringer, seat elements extending transversely across a plurality of Such frames, and tie members between adjacent supports on the SameV frame Serving the dual function of supporting the Seat elements and clamping the edges of each seat element at each frame.

8. In a bleacher, a plurality of frames each having an inclined Stringer, a series of supports attached to each Stringer and extending outwardly therefrom, a brace for each frame having its .ends rigidly connected with the associated Stringer and having a main portion extending substantially parallel with Said Stringer and rigidly connected with a free end of each alternate support, a series of seat elements extending across Said stringers and disposed alternately on opposite sides of the stringers, and means connecting the projecting ends of adjacent Supports for Supporting the seat elements and. for clamping the edges of Said seat elements between the supports at each frame.

WILLIAM D. WILLERIG. 

